Nikki Schaay photo_2021

Ms Nikki Schaay

BA (Hons) Psychology (Natal), MPH (UWC)

Senior Researcher
E: schaay@mweb.co.za

Nikki is the overall Co-ordinator of the SOPH academic programme,  a role that she took on in December 2020.  Nikki contributes to SOPH’s teaching activities by convening one of the core modules of the MPH programme: ‘Population Health and Development: A Comprehensive Primary Health Care Approach’ and facilitating a short course on community participation in health. 

In terms of research, Nikki is particularly interested in exploring how practitioners and the health service can develop responsive and participatory ways of working with clients and community members of the health system.

Prior to joining the School in 2004, Nikki worked in the field of HIV – first managing a local non-governmental organization which was one of the first community based organisations in South Africa to support a cadre of grassroots HIV educators; then coordinating a provincial HIV advocacy network, and later directing a national project which provided technical assistance to the National Department of Health, specifically in relation to HIV multi-sectoral capacity building and policy development.

Projects